Is nationality defined by the soil you stand on or the blood in your veins?
While we often view citizenship as a legal status, many nations define their very existence through shared ancestry and language. This is ethnic nationalism—a powerful, widespread force that can drive both liberation movements and the most devastating forms of human exclusion and genocide.
At its core, ethnic nationalism defines a nation through shared heritage, including common language, faith, and ancestry. This stands in contrast to civic nationalism, which relies on shared political ideals and residency. In legal terms, this distinction often manifests as a choice between jus sanguinis—the law of blood or descent—and jus soli, the law of the soil or birth within a territory. While these categories are idealized and many states blend them, the tension between them shapes global immigration and citizenship policies.
The historical trajectory of ethnonationalism is marked by both resistance and destruction. In the 19th century, movements in Greece, Italy, and Germany used ethnic identity to forge new states. However, the 20th century saw the darker side of this logic. Following the collapse of the Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, and Russian empires, the redrawing of European maps along ethnic lines contributed to the rise of fascist ideologies. Historian Donald Bloxham notes that the Armenian genocide represents the extreme logical conclusion of ethnic nationalism within multi-ethnic societies.
Today, the phenomenon persists in various forms. It can appear as 'stateless nationalism,' where oppressed groups like the Kurds or Tibetans use shared lineage to resist cultural assimilation. Conversely, it can manifest as 'nativist' movements in the developed world, driven by fears of globalization. UN Special Rapporteur Tendayi Achiume has highlighted how ethnonationlist politics can drive racial discrimination, noting that over 75% of the world's stateless populations belong to minority groups. From the Bumiputera policies in Malaysia to the controversial Nation-State Law in Israel, the struggle to balance ethnic identity with inclusive governance remains a central global challenge.
Source: Ethnic nationalism
